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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28473201">they sing it now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/revolver/pseuds/kidlightnings'>kidlightnings (revolver)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi | Fire Emblem: Binding Blade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Belonging, Family Bonding, Gen, Injury, Mild Blood, Wilderness Survival</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:23:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28473201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/revolver/pseuds/kidlightnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A family finds their way home and finds what makes them a family and where home really is along the way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Nagamas Gifts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>they sing it now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=kureebe">kureebe</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A very Merry Nagamas to <a href="">kureebe</a>, who asked for something of my favorite sword and ax family, and I was all too touched to oblige ♥</p><p>TW for some mild blood/injury, offscreen killing predator animals in the context of winter survival, and character death mention</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was easier not to speak of the road back from the mountains of Bern. It was a long road, and a cold road by the time the politics were sorted and spoils divided. Sentiment wound through it, forced its fingers into how Karel could see his sister in his niece and his past in Bartre and his younger self in Rutger as he trailed behind them all. Cold sunlight glistened in the snow untouched along the seldom-used trade routes that would carry them home and, Karel imagined, beyond. It was the wrong time of year to travel this way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flame crackled in the deep night, and Fir and Rutger could barely be seen under heavy furs to guard again what of winter’s grasp the fire didn’t keep back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Know you’re awake,” came Bartre’s rumble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Karel responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes slip open towards the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you can hear them too, the ravenous bastards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no sin in hunger,” Karel breathed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not in wanting to stay with meat on your bones, either!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I suppose not. Let us at least give them space to reconsider.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite it, Karel’s sword hand twitched in anticipation of grasping it and rising.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wiped his blade, eyes downcast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're like an angel of death," Bartre chuckled, clapping him on the back. "Barely left any for an old, slow ax like myself!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is not my pleasure."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You gave the bloody beasts a quick end! It is mercy if I ever saw it! An angel, not a demon!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Perhaps so, in this moment," Karel conceded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heard the rustle of blanket, furs behind them being pushed back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uncle?" came Fir's voice, thick with sleep, "is it my watch?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I suppose so," Karel said. "Watch yourself. There are wolves. Hungry poor fools."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger was pushed back, grunted with exertion under the heavy hand behind a heavier ax that bore down on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Damn you! Even with this!" he shouted as Karel watched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Rutger, the blade is part of you, you are fighting it, let it guide you," Karel guided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He all but roared, threw his weight forward, and Bartre pulled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's useless!" Rutger snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stalked into the tree cover, footprints deep in the snow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fir moved to follow, and Karel stretched his hand out but then dropped it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let her," Bartre grumbled. "I know my daughter. You can't stop her!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fir was cold, quiet. Rutger trailed behind. Bartre looked between them with a sharp suspicion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did something-!" he started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel raised a hand, brought a finger to his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then stretched that hand to point forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doe stepped through a clearing ahead of them, and after bounded a fawn, spindly-legged and delicate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, uncle, she's snowy white," Fir whispered, drawing near to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The monk would have had something…" he started, and trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Monk…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fir's eyes darted to Karel, then caught the shake in her father's head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's beautiful," she breathed, instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. She is," Karel said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did happen to that fellow? Frail as anything, but the saint herself with a book!" Bartre asked, voice low, as the fire sputtered and popped on wet wood. It smoked in heavy plumes at each wet bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- ah...well. I see," he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bartre's thick hand rested on Karel's back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He was not meant for times as we have lived through."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bartre snorted, mustache ruffling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"These times do not last forever! He lived through his own bad! A shame, the slight thing!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They… surely do not," Karel said, eyes looking somewhere past the fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Brother. Tell me. Tell me about the her you knew."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made a truculent grumble, cleared his throat. Karel could see his cheeks brighten, even in the moonlight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you see an old man cry?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel looked up at him, eyes glinting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you? I miss her, old friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A wildflower in every way, she was! Bright! Beautiful! Rooted into every crack and forced everything apart! Savage and perfect! Matched, stroke for stroke! Betrayed, by her own body! Ach, but she was too good."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel shook his head, eyes boring down into the bare, frozen dirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I suppose she was."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The quarreling was like two toms fighting in the back of a stable, shrieking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't ask you to come after me! You're just a child! You don't know </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span>thing!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steel grated on scabbard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You take that back! I know more than to ignore people when they're right! You're just full of piss! You like it so much, to be angry!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a singing in the air, metallic. A yelp rang out, and then a solid, heavy thunk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bartre broke through the treeline, and Fir glowered across the clearing, sword drawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood dripped into the snow under Rutger's hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger returned with a clumsy bandage stained red, and his red sleeve redder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel looked up, looked from where Fir and Bartre had split off into a copse of trees, to Rutger, and stood from the fallen tree he rested on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come here and let me look,” he said, voice firm and level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger’s eyes flashed defiance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is your sword arm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger looked towards that same copse Karel had watched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t speak, but walked, rigid and tall, to stand before Karel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel held his hand out for Rutger to drop his into, and started to unwind the bandages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The stitches needed tending, and Rutger was as poor of a patient as Karel had been in his younger days. Fir hung back now, or tried to but for her father walking stalwartly alongside her. Rutger slept with his arm dipped in snow some nights, and Karel had to nudge it back beneath furs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, your mother and I- she got me good! Worse than that, some times! And look at me now! Can still swing an ax with the best of the lads!” Bartre barked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel let his eyes swing from them to where Rutger stalked ahead, bristling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bandages came off, and that same morning, Bartre, red-cheeked and red-nosed, gripped Fir and Rutger both by the shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now! This, we’ll sort this out!” he bellowed. “Your mother and I! We fought! Lots! We always made up, and you two are going to make up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger pulled hard against the iron grip, and Bartre pushed him down to sit by the remains of the old night’s fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s to make up? I’m not her mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m not you, Dad!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bartre shook his head furiously, bulging eyes watering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! But you’re both just as stubborn as we were!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The distance between the two was still frigid, but thawing slowly, and Bartre clapped his brother in law on the shoulder as they sat by the fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You and me. You and me, not shit to fight about. You were spooky swords all the time and I knew I’d be a twitching mess to challenge you! That worked all right!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karel stared into the darkness beyond the flames. His lips turned up, and he chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you are a fine man and loved my sister, even when she didn’t think she was human. I could have no quarrel with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snow gave way to rolling plains, and Karel stared out across them as they broke through the treeline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ach- A… A grown man cry indeed,” Bartre muttered, turning away, face pushing into his massive palm as he scrubbed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smile on Karel’s mouth was beatific and he just stood in silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fir dashed forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh- oh uncle! Oh uncle, it’s beautiful!” she called from a knoll.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rutger strode out last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will they call my name?” he finally asked from behind Karel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only then that honeyed eyes turned from the shifting waves of grass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rutger. They sing it now.”</span>
</p>
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